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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30037164">Siblings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynderiaOpus/pseuds/cynderiaOpus'>cynderiaOpus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Growing Pains [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Wrath of Darth Maul - Ryder Windham</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, JEDI AU, Lightside au, Maul struggles as a big brother, Mentions of Past Torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, and Plo-Koon's here to help him</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:55:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30037164</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynderiaOpus/pseuds/cynderiaOpus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s okay, son. You’re safe, no one can harm you here… You’re on-” Plo started, rubbing the boy’s shoulder lightly.<br/>“Coruscant, I’m on Coruscant. I… I know. I can feel it now” Maul cut the towering Kel dor, swallowing loudly, his breath still rapid from the dark dream, “It was all so vivid. As if [...]"<br/>-<br/>Maul struggles with PTSD and his role as a big brother and Plo-Koon helps him find his way through the Force.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Darth Maul &amp; Therapy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Growing Pains [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Siblings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29845347">As the Force Wills it</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bad_Medic/pseuds/Shut-Up-Ginger">Shut-Up-Ginger (Bad_Medic)</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>There was a low guttural whine as Plo-Koon traversed the empty and deserted halls of the temple at night. A strangled complaint, echoing against the walls as if screaming for help, someone to listen to it, desperate for the pain to end. Master Plo frowned, focusing his attention on the waves of emotions rippling in the Force, hitting him lazily like a calm sea, repeating like the infinite rotation of a lighthouse to be seen. </p>
<p>It wasn’t long before he found himself drawn to the nocturnal quarters, which was odd as all the Younglings and Padawans were off to the Gardens or training during these dark hours, leaving the rooms empty of life yet filled with emotions, the walls soaked of the young ones’ feelings and experiences. But this time, he wasn’t alone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Feral? What are you doing here, young one? Aren’t you supposed to train with your brother at this hour or did you forget something in your room?” Plo kneeled next to the small child, his face frowned and his mind unreadable if it wasn’t for the halo of anxiety dripping from his presence in the Force. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s my other sibling, Master Plo… Maul. Ever since we left him for training, his signature seems to cry at me and crawl after me as if asking for help and trying to get a hold of me, but when I turn around to reach it… it just disappears. Savage felt it too, he says it’s happened a few times to him too, that there’s nothing we can do about it. But… it hurts, Master Plo” Feral was starting to tear up, his red eyes indicating that it was only a continuation of previous sobs. Plo-Koon laid a hand on his small shoulder, hoping for his support to break through the heavy barrier of concern surrounding the Youngling. </p>
<p>“I wanted to come check on him but his door’s locked and-” he mumbled through tears, “And I’m afraid something happened to him…” he finally added between breathless weeps, the waves of raw rage and panic doubling from inside the thick door of the brothers’ dwelling. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I shall check on him then. Young one, this might be dangerous so, as a matter of safety, I shall request that you go back to Savage. He must be searching for you everywhere anyway as it is” Plo added, watching over the young Zabrak kindly until the smaller boy nodded and slowly rose on his feet, making his way through the intricate maze of the temple’s hallways. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Plo calmly took his holopass from the deep pockets of his robe and sent a soft warning in the Force before unlocking the door. Extending his delicate hands to the handle, the Jedi Master inhaled, bracing himself for the chaos to come. </p>
<p>The room was in complete disarray, the clutter here and there that usually laid on the desks and ground were now floating in the air, suspended in the space between the walls and the red-skinned man somewhere in the room. Plo frowned as he felt the crushing energy endlessly compressing at the levitating objects like a constricted organ swallowing them until nothing was left of them. It took some time for the Jedi’s eyes to get used to the darkness of the windowless room. For a moment, he was glad Feral was sent away as the boy wouldn’t be able to endure the blow of pure suffering filling the space, creeping and spreading wherever it could,  expanding continuously from the increasing pressure building up and overflowing. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was silence where Plo would’ve expected an outburst of panic upon his intrusion, knowing the young man was not exactly fond of anyone setting foot in their home. Another strangled gasp pulled him from his thoughts and he finally managed to situate where the man was in the shadows. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Maul…!” he exclaimed softly, approaching the visibly pained body of the tattooed boy, “Come on, son. Wake up…” he added, holding Maul’s shoulder and shaking it lightly. If Plo-Koon had teeth, he’d be clenching them as hard as ever as the ripples were now pulling at him in all directions, ripping his Force shield apart. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maul wailed in pain in his sleep, his body jerking violently from a visibly unbearable torment, ‘most likely torture’ Plo thought from the little informations the Council had gathered on their past. The Jedi clenched his jaw as the feelings bounced on his signature. He clasped at the boy’s shoulder harder and this time didn’t hold back as he pulled the man out of his slumber. </p>
<p>A loud gasp echoed in the dark, golden eyes glowing coldly and staring at the ceiling as the pressure in the room broke through, emptying gradually like an open valve, leaving their surroundings soaked from the inner turmoil in Maul’s sleep. The boy grasped at Plo’s hand, panting heavily as if he had barely escaped from drowning in a lake of pure pain and suffering, his physical shape still shaking from the violent experience. His gaze was lost, unable to focus for some time until he found the strength to stare at Plo-Koon, still holding his hand on his shoulder. He quickly looked away as if ashamed he’d been caught sleeping on the job. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s okay, son. You’re safe, no one can harm you here… You’re on-” Plo started, rubbing the boy’s shoulder lightly. </p>
<p>“Coruscant, I’m on Coruscant. I… I know. I can feel it now” Maul cut the towering Kel dor, swallowing loudly, his breath still rapid from the dark dream, “It was all so vivid. As if… As if I was still that silly boy on Mustafar, strapped to the cold table as that damned TD droid pushed that kriffing burning serum under my skin…” he added, his voice lower as he went on, his golden iris regaining their usual warmth that usually made his brothers giggle, betraying his frowned stare as it gave out all his love for them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sat up, pushing his legs aside to make space for the Jedi Master to sit by his side. “It wasn’t right… What they did to me as a boy. Even for a sith education, it wasn’t right. I didn’t want the same to happen to Savage, so I ran away. Things became more complicated when I discovered our family of two was now three…” Maul huffed, rubbing the space between his horns. His expression was pensive, his mind clouded with thoughts, drowning the boy again with concern over the safety of his kin. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>For a moment, Plo-Koon found himself unable to respond, brushing over the tight fabric of Maul’s sleeping attire which resembled too much a sensory deprivation suit for the Jedi’s liking, knowing the Zabrak wasn’t unfamiliar with them. Knowing Maul only saw the Order as an escape from his Master’s grasp for his brothers and himself, Plo thought of something to make the man’s view shift, not hoping for him to see it as a shelter as most residents liked to describe it but at least something different than just another golden prison. </p>
<p>“Come. Walk with me, if you will” he simply said, his voice calm with a hint of determination and understanding, “There is something I shall show you to enlighten your path in the Force” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maul, despite his visible exhaustion, followed. It seemed that standing and walking was already helping with his restless mind, focusing instead on the mystery Plo-Koon mentioned he wanted to show him. He threw on a jumper to cover his arms decorated with bacta patches. The Jedi grinned slightly at him, most likely in recognition of the clothing that Feral tended to borrow for ‘undefined periods of time’, the sleeves still harboring spots of paint from the Younglings’ activities a few days prior. The boy smirked gently, noticing Plo’s stare on his attire. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He might grow into it one day” Maul muttered, holding the sleeves tighter as he stared at the colorful bits of dried paste on the fabric. Feral had been a fantastic artist that day, most likely thanks to his Dathomirian heritage. It still worried the man a little as he knew these activities on their home planet were usually dangerous matters, from the acid material to the height of the cliffs the boys had to climb only to leave a mark of their presence on the walls. He shuddered lightly at the thought, thankful to have picked them prior to any incident of the sort. </p>
<p>“He will, I can feel it already. He’ll grow into a strong and wise man, just like your brother and you will as well” Plo responded like a proud parent, hoping for the boy to realise his siblings are stronger than he can see it. </p>
<p>“Ah. I would like to think I’m already an adult, sir. Zabraks are usually known for holding short-lived existences, or at least what we know of…” the red-skinned teen huffed. Despite rummaging through his mind, only the face of Brother Viscus came to his attention. The man was barely forty at most though his wrinkles made him seem older and his ragged breathing during their short encounter betrayed a visible lung deficiency. </p>
<p>“Dathomirians. Not Zabraks, Iridonians can live up to 180 years if not more, young man. Surely, you underestimate your own biology and overestimate your maturity,” Plo-Koon corrected the boy in a chuckle, patting gently at his back. Maul’s cheeks darkened lightly and scanned their surroundings, hoping no one had heard his flaws so easily exposed. “Do not worry, I won’t tell anyone. Especially not your dear friend you don’t want to disappoint” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He is <em> not </em>my friend” Maul scowled. If anything, Kenobi was the furthest from a friend and he did not want for his nemesis to know of any weaknesses on his end. He did not deserve the privilege to know that he had flaws despite being a Sith; he would never hear the end of it otherwise. </p>
<p>“I did not say anything about Obi-Wan, yet you’re expressively communicating through your body language that this inconvenience means you care how he sees you. Maybe you should try to discuss with him someday, instead of steering against him. I’ve found he can be quite resourceful and amusing at times, though he does show as much recklessness as you do sometimes. You’re more alike than you want to believe” Plo exhaled tiredly. He had been the witness of too many of their bickerings and was becoming desperate for the boys to resolve that misunderstanding between them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whatever… Kenobi is the least of my worries at the moment. Feral and Savage need to stay here, I cannot allow for them to be exposed to my Master, though I suspect he already knows where we are at this point. I’m sure this... <em> institution </em>can provide safety enough for them to someday have a chance to flee if they were to end up face to face with him. I did not have that luxury. So, for now, all I can do is sit back and watch as my brothers’ time is ticking out before He finds us again” Maul sighed, his mood sinking back to pessimism and obvious paranoia. </p>
<p>“To this, I show no objection. So far, your presence here has shown nothing but amelioration for their training, most likely wanting to please you by showing what they’re capable of. But -if I may- is this truly viable to you…? To live in such high levels of fear and counting the days before the ‘inevitable’ as you call it happens. I know you can take all that in, you’ve already proven far more robust to such situations but this is no way to live, if you don’t mind my judgement here. Being forced to stay among so many Jedis most likely seems already unbearable for you but what about the day your own brothers become Jedis, Maul. Will you be strong enough to bear with your kin becoming the very thing you’ve been raised to destroy?” </p>
<p>“If that’s what I must do for their survival, then I shall endure this sacrifice on my end” Maul answered quickly with determination, resolved to protect his brothers with his own life, abandoning his own self-comfort for the boys. Though this much sacrifice was not the Jedi way, Plo did not question it, knowing customs surrounding family were sacred for some cultures. He simply nodded, accepting that Maul’s one and only reason to breath now was to watch over his kin until he ran out of air. </p>
<p>“You should go easy on yourself, though. Your injuries won’t heal if you keep gnawing all the time” The Jedi chuckled, flicking at the boy’s middle section, owing him a surprised glance and the Force around them seemed brighter suddenly. </p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are we going anyway? I’ve seen most of the temple thanks to my dear literally feral sibling’s habit of hiding in the furthest corners of this maze of a building, and yet I can’t quite piece where we are heading to.” </p>
<p>Plo laughed under his mask as he approached a panel barely sticking out of the wall, displaying controls for the Jedis to unlock the secrets it hid. The door frame lit as the light-side Force user passed his hand over the glass panel, the shape of the room’s entrance opening with a slight hiss, revealing a dimly lit corridor. The Jedi stood next to the entryway, gesturing for Maul to step in as he followed after, the door closing behind them slowly, leaving the both of them in the silent aisle. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The young man’s eyes lit up as he examined the immensely tall and never ending cylindrical room, a pit of light coming for the high ceiling and various decorations hanging underneath, bathing in the light and glimmering in all directions. The decorations seemed to be golden star-shaped metal stars as Maul looked closer, suddenly aware of how deep the room ran from the edge of the stairway. </p>
<p>The reflections of the stars seemed to move on the walls at different spots, falling over the multiple painted faces on the murals simultaneously. The red-skinned teen thought he recognized a few of the portraits -most likely Jedis his Master had shown him from numerous holovids, and how most of them seemed connected through the light, reuniting different lineages of Masters and Padawans as they moved through in the soft breeze running in the room. Their shimmering in the air resonated in a calm chime with the warm air of Coruscant’s atmosphere with a soft whistle of the wind trying to squeeze through the ceiling’s opening. The spiral stairway seemed to disappear in the shade of the room except for the glow of the stars, making them look like an actual night sky. </p>
<p>It reminded Maul of his first time off Mustafar’s surface aboard Darth Sidious’ ship, mesmerized by the galaxies zooming past them. It also reminded the boy of one of his Master’s most prized possessions in his personal quarters, a diamond jewelry, most likely ripped from one of his victims’ bodies. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You probably noticed already, we call this the ‘Hall of Legacy’ as a reminder of every member of the Jedi Order families that ran these very same halls” Plo-Koon ran a hand over Ahsoka’s freshly added portrait, most likely linked to his own somewhere along these walls. He slowly marched down the stairs that traveled the room only to stop a few steps lower. Maul noticed Qui-Gon’s noble and wise face posing proudly over the unnerving and arrogant smirk Obi-Wan arbored with the Tatooine native boy that seemed glued to their side. </p>
<p>“You said families, yet all I see are children <em> ripped </em>from their home and forced to follow your instructions only to become like your predecessors, warriors disguised as so-called protectors and peacekeepers and yet actively partaking in political conflicts and fighting for what seems to arrange the Senate. All this just seems like a good excuse to spread your philosophy of the Force further in the galaxy and force defenseless kids into your customs” Maul remarked, his voice calm despite the fierce judgement on the Jedis’ culture and their ways. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“As a Seeker, I must agree that sometimes these customs can come out as quite… extreme for families. You’d be surprised how many times I’ve been faced with closed doors when ringing the bells of Force-sensitive homes. And yet, on the other hand, I’ve met many helpless parents, desperate for their child to find their way in the blurry veil of the Force. I see you recognize Qui-Gon’s youngest apprentice, Anakin. He, too, suffered from a harsh life alongside his mother and even though her efforts were immense for her son’s well-being, she agreed that his place was among us, in the Order. It was hard for him at first, still is actually from what I’ve heard from Master Jinn’s rents over his initiates. And though he was separated from his past family, Skywalker found another here with Padawan Kenobi most of all.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If your brothers might feel like they don’t yet, rest assured that they may soon prove otherwise. Though that doesn’t mean they’ll abandon the very idea of their own blood as they become Jedi initiates” Plo raised another hand and directed the man’s eyes towards another set of portraits. This time, the two faces were side by side, the lights of the reflective stars fusing into one ray of shine over the red and yellow-skinned teens facing one another. Mikkians, Maul realised as he recognized the floating tendrils that usually floated behind them. It reminded him of Mother Talzin’s scarf in some way. “Sometimes, the Order has to make exceptions, just like we did for your brothers. Padawan Tiplee’s and Tiplar’s bond with the Force seems to multiply around each other, though this is a very thin thread we walk on, knowing this sort of partnership could lead to a dark path if their attachments are not supervised. Thus, when Feral and Savage become Padawans, we shall request that they are monitored by different Masters until their training is strong enough for them to have a robust base to build on” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maul nodded before adding another comment “But, isn’t that a little like gambling from the Order? You’re just hoping that they will be wise enough to remember their instruction and not fall into the <em> ‘trap’ </em>you Jedis call feelings, feelings we draw our strength from as Sith.” </p>
<p>“Hope is the Jedi way, young one. And if it weren’t for trust, we would be as good as the Senate, investigating every single move of our allies, treating them like opponents all the time” Plo chuckled back. “What I meant, for you and your brothers, is that the Order will not actively seek to replace your sense of kin. Instead, we would rather hope that their experience here will complete their family, along with granting them the benefits of forming alliances through friendship here. On a personal note, I would like to add to you too, have your place here by your brothers’ side but also as yourself. If only you weren’t such a terribly impatient student, young man” the Jedi Master smirked as he made his way back to the entryway, leaving the Zabrak to his thoughts. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maul stared back at Qui-Gon’s face for a moment, hoping to find guidance in the wise expression of the man there but deep down, he knew it was all himself. He finally had a choice for himself and yet, it took him by surprise so hard he didn’t know what to make of it. Instead, his eyes fell on Obi-Wan’s goofy grin, his expression softer and calmer than he had seen it moments before. Perhaps… No, it was silly of him to think that. And yet, perhaps the Padawan could guide him with his role as a big brother, help him through the struggles it implied. </p>
<p>The concept of family was hard for Maul to grasp. At first, it’d meant having an apprentice to teach, to raise until there was nothing else to do but disappear for another generation to appear. Then, he’d thought of TD-D9. He’d lie to himself if he said he wasn’t attached to the droid back then, though only for his hope of friendship to be crushed by his Master’s plans. For a moment, he thought he’d find a mother figure in Talzin, only to find that -again, he was just a pawn on a bigger picture. He’d almost qualify Kilindi as a sister for the years they’d spend together. And then, he remembered. Or the Force made him remember, remember that he wasn’t alone in this world as he now had the strength to fight, to face those above him and break the chains that held him back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now, he wanted to make it right for his brothers, he wanted to make it right for himself too. He wanted to finally be able to be apart from a family, no matter what. And nothing would rip it away from him now. Not even the Force itself… </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm gonna be honest, I'm a sunday-afternoon writer and mainly an artist so I hope you'll forgive me if it's very messy and hard to follow. First time uploading on AO3, wooooohoo yeay!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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